Gate for delivery vehicles



B. SEITZ GATE kFOR DELIVERY VEHICLES May 19, 1931.

2 sneet-sheet 1 Filed Sept. l, 1928 FJGI. 7E

Wwf-139% 1,2

Patented May 19, 1931 site sra Frio BERTRAM SEITZ, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA GATE FOR DELIVERY VEHICLES Application filed-September 1, 1928. Serial No. 303,378.

rlhis invention relates to gates for deliving locking, the gates would yield to inwardr fleXure at the top as well as outward flexure at the bottom so that fairly large packages could be readily withdrawn. p'

The chief aim of my invention is to obviate the above contingencies through provision of a gate which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy though light in construction, absolutely rigid in locked position,

and so devised as to afford variable access into the vehicle body in'accordance with the size of the package to be withdrawn by the driver. i

Still other objects and attendant advantages will be manifest from the detailed description which follows when taken in connection with the attached drawings, wherein Fig. l shows the rear of a closed vehicle body equipped with a closure gate conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a fragmentary plan section taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. I.

Fig. IH is a detail sectionalV view taken as indicated by the arrows lll-HI in Fig. l'.

Fig. IV is a view, similar to Fig. l, showing an alternative embodiment of my invention; and, Y

Fig. V is a detail section taken as indicated by the arrows V-V in Fig. 1V.

With reference first more particularly to Figs. I-III of these illustrations, it will be observed that the form of gate therevshown 45 is double, i. e. it embodies two components comprehensively designated 10, 10a which are separately hung at their remote edges to the closed vehicle body B by hinges 11, 11a so that their swinging edges meet when the gate 0 is in closed position. The gate components 10,

10a in turn comprise a multiplicity of subdivisions or sections 12, 12ain the presentv instance` two for each-which are inter-connected by hinges at 18, 13a so as to be swingable independently of each other. For the sake of combined rigidity and lightness, the gate is preferably constructed from hardwood with spaced verticals 15, 16 and 15a, 16a joined by horizontale 17, 17 a and diagonals 18, 18a to form the several sections. ln-

ward movement ofthe gate components 10,

l 10a is'limited by stops 19, 19a which are respectively secured to the upper ends of the n meeting edge verticals 16, 16a at the back, and engage the top of the vehicle body B. These stops 19, 19a are fashioned from flatV bar metal and are offset as at 20Fig. Ill-so. that the gate closes iiush with the back of the vehicle body Bv after the manner vshown in Fig. II.

To fasten the gate in closed position, provide a securing means common to both components 10,'10a, This securing means includes a bolt 21 that is supported with capacity for axial sliding in strap bearings 22 attached to the edge vertical 16arof the gate component 10a, so as to be retractable from engagement with a vsocket 23 in the floor of the vehicle body B, the extent of lifting being limited by a stop shown at 2l4 in Fig. I. The bolt 21 is also rotatable in the bearings 22, and at its upper end has a hasp-like wing 25 to engage the eye 26 of an associate fitting 27 secured to the edge vertical 16 of the gate` component 10. With theparts 21, 27 of the securing means in the position illustrated, a padlock 28 or the equivalent is applied to the eye 26 to prevent unauthorized opening of the gate when the vehicle is in motion and while deliveries are beingrmade.

lll/'ith the described arrangement, it will `be apparentthat by removing' the padlock 28k and swinging aside the hasp kwing 25 of the bolt 21 (without withdrawing the latter from the socket 23), the gate componentlO is freed so that its sections 12 may be independently swung, or the whole swung about the hinges 11i-all in accordance with the extent of access required to remove any particular package from within the body B at the correthe hinges lla.

spending side of the vehicle. lf aigreater degree of access is necessary, the bolt 2l is lifted With attendant Jfreeing of the gate component a so that its sections can be svvung lilie- Wise, either independently or together about The sectional construction of the gate is thus advantageous in that it admits of considerable time saving in withdrawing individual packages Ltromvthe vehicle body, since only in the case et very large units need it be opened-to the fullest ement. Moreover, by virtue of its rigidity and in View oi the sturdiness oi: the novel securing means provided as hereinbefore explained, the gate cannot be 'flexed or forced when in locked position, the possibility of thieving being thus reduced to the very minimum.

rihe alternative embodiment of my invention shown in lV and V is identical to the i'irst described in so far as the construction of the itseli2 is concerned, and the same reference numerals iave therefore been employed to designate the corresponding parts. ln this case however, the securing 'f means is somewhat different, i. e. both gate components i0, 10a are equipped with loching bolts 30, 3l adapted to respectively engage soclrets 32, 88 in the Hoor of the vehicle body. rEhe upward siiding motion of the bolts 30, 3l is limited by individually assoeiated stops 34, respectively on the meeting edge verticale i6, 16a of the gate components 10, 10a. The Wings 8G, at the contiguous ends of the bolts 30, 3l are arranged to overlap. is shown, the Wing 36 of bolt 3G is in the term o' a hasp to engage over an eye 3S proyecting from the Wing 3? ot the other bolt Sl. ii padlock 39 is employed as before to vloch the gate in closed position, said padlocl:

being applied to the protruding end of the eye 38, see Fig. V. The operation of the alternative embodiment is attended by advantages identical to those already pointed out in connection with the 'form 'featured in Figs. l-lll, With the further advantage that the extra bolt 8O serves as positive holding means for the gate component l0 incidental to manipulation of the companion gate component lila.

1 Having thus described my invention, claim:

l. A double gate for delivery vehicles comprisino' opposing components each including interhnged sections adapted to close with their sivngino' edges engaging, the meeting edges of the respective components carrying limiting stops at their upper ends oiset to Contact the top of the vehicle body so that the gate closes fiush with the back end of said boc y. Y y

`V2. A double kgate for delivery vehicles comprising o oposing components each including independently movable interhinged sections embodying spaced verticale joined by horizontals diagonale, said sections being separately hinged to close with their svvinging edGes engaging, and the meeting component verticals having attached Hat-bar limiting stops at their upper ends odset to contact the top of the lvehicle body so that the gate closes flush with the back end of said body.

A double gate for delivery vehicles comprising opposing components each including multiplicity of independently movable interhinged sections, and embodying spaced verticale joined by horizontals and diagonals, said sections being separately hinged for in dependent opening or closure with their s edges engaging, and the meeting component verticale having attached flat-bar limiting stops at their upper ends offset to contact the top outer edge of the vehicle body that the gate closes flush With the back end of said body.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name at Jitlantic City, New Jersey, tlis 30th day of August, 1928.

BEBTRAM SEITZ. 

